Politics & Government

Board Delays Vote On Controversial Wilmington Detox Facility

The Wilmington Zoning Board of appeals is expected to make a decision when it holds a special meeting on Jan. 16.

WILMINGTON, MA -- The Zoning Board of Appeals held its oft-delayed hearing on the controversial proposal to build a drug treatment facility on Middlesex Avenue Wednesday night. After hearing more than five hours of testimony from the proposal's backers and residents who have staged a 15-month long fight against the opposition, Selectman Michael McCoy urged the board to make a decision.

"It's time to call it a ball or a strike," said McCoy, who has been a vocal opponent of the proposal.

But the only vote the board would take was a 3-2 decision to delay the vote to a special meeting scheduled for Jan. 16. "I don't want to rush a motion that hasn't been thought out," said Anthony J. Barletta Jr., adding that he wanted a clearer outline of programming and care that would be delivered at the facility.

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When it became clear the long-awaited vote would be delayed another month, residents opposing the facility became visibly angry. One man got began shouting at Chairman Daniel J. Veerman and was escorted out of the Town Hall auditorium by police. The proposal first went before the ZBA in February and has been granted a series of continuances, prolonging then neighbors' uncertainty.

While Wilmington Town Meeting changed zoning rules a year ago to limit where such treatment facilities could be located, plans for the proposal at 362 Middlesex Avenue were submitted before the rule changes. The proposal for the 48-bed short-term facility has already been approved by the planning board and the board of health.

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Betterment LLC officials described a facility that would provide the first stage of care for drug addicts seeking treatment. Twelve of the beds would be reserved for the initial, 48-hour detox process, with the remainder being for patients getting ready to move on to the second, longer phase of treatment. The center would admit an average of four patients a day and have 24 employees.

The board may take more public comment at the Jan. 16 meeting, but would probably cap speakers after hearing more than five hours of comments Wednesday. Opponents have tried to stress that they don't oppose a treatment facility in Wilmington, but that the proposal before the board is poorly located in a residential neighborhood near schools, a MBTA commuter rail station and a business district.

Some opponents displayed pictures of children and grandchildren. Another urged the board to watch "It's A Wonderful Life" and said approval of the detox facility proposed by Betterment LLC would turn the town into Pottersville. Still another said the proposal would never pass muster if it were pitched as a business proposal on "Shark Tank."

"You're chasing people out of the neighborhood if you approve it. If this goes in, we're out of here and you'll see a mass exodus in the Shady Lane area," said Shane McNeeley, who moved into a home that abuts the property just six days before the detox center was proposed in September 2017.

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Patch file photo.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).



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